MISCELLANEOUS PAPEES. 287 



promising. Life is full of vicissitudes, aud our lot is much as we make 

 it ourselves. 



If people would be satisfied with an honest living, if the crazy 

 rush for wealth and honor were laid aside, the world would be better 

 and happier. 



The farmers are complaining of low prices, the fruit-growers of 

 failing crops, the mechanic and other laboring classes hunting work 

 and finding none, the everlasting tramps running over the country, 

 begging a living and won't work if they could get it, are all dampers 

 on our prosperity. 



Taxes high, and hard to get money to pay them. What are our 

 boasted schools and high institutions of learning doing, and our boasted 

 religion and great churches accomplishing, that this state of affairs 

 exists? 



There is something radically wrong, and he who points out some 

 effectual remedy to cure them will be a great benefactor. 



A Nursery Orchard. 



By Judge Samuel Miller, Bluft'ton, Mo. 



Some seven or eight years ago, the rabbits in the winter barked 

 the trees in my nursery so badly that the trees were not fit to plant or 

 sell. The following spring I sawed them off at the ground, and allowed 

 two or three sprouts to grow, and the following spring removed all but 

 the strongest one, sawed off smoothly the old stub and cemented the 

 wound. Most of them healed over and made nice trees. As I had a 

 fresh lot of trees coming on, there were but few of these (then four 

 years old) sold, but some I planted myself, and they are doing well in 

 the orchard. The balance were left to the mercy of the borers, grass 

 and weeds, with the exception of mowing the latter occasionally. For 

 the last three years there has not been a plow, harrow or hoe used in 

 the patch. No fruit for two years gave them a full chance to grow. 



At one time I intended grubbing all out to make farming land of 

 it, but not until this fall was there any work done toward putting it in 

 order. 



Now, December 20, for the past week I have been in there with 

 saw, hatchet, grub-hoe, knives, chisels and trowel. Eegardless of rows 

 or distance, the best and largest trees are left standing, some of which 

 are four and five inches in diameter. 



First the ground is dug away from around the base, some inches 

 deep ; then with the trowel, cleaned around down to as deep as any 

 borer is likely to go. 



